The Lindenwood softball team snapped its six-game losing streak on Wednesday, defeating Nebraska-Kearney, 5-0, in the nightcap from Lou Brock Sports Complex. The Lady Lions suffered another setback in game one, losing 12-2 in five innings before
Stormee Galka tossed her second complete-game shutout of the season in the game two victory.
Madi Huot added important insurance runs with a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the sixth inning after sitting out the last couple games.
Galka, along with
Kimberly Fozzard and
Hannah Johnson, had a pair of hits during the win, while
Morgan Brown,
Adele Linderman, and
Austine Pauley each had a knock on the day. Fozzard totaled three hits on the day with a single in the first game, as
Lexi Theis had two hits, including a triple.
Game One
Fozzard started the first game in the circle and retired 12 of the first 15 hitters she faced, allowing just a run. The Lopers' bats broke through in the fifth inning when they exploded for 11 runs off the pitching trio of Fozzard,
Bethany Fountain, and
Payton Wilson.
The Lady Lions had runners in scoring position each of the first two innings, but failed to push a run across the plate. Linderman and Fozzard each singled with two outs, but a
Keri Sheehan grounder was stopped on a diving play by the UNK shortstop to force the out at second base. Theis tripled with one gone in the third before
Maria Tippit drew a walk, but Lindenwood was unable to make anything of it.
Brown and Pauley came around to score in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 12-2, but it was all too late for Lindenwood as the Nebraska-Kearney would complete the victory.
Game Two
After not being able to string hits together in game one, the Lady Lions tallied a run in the first inning to back the southpaw Galka early. Pauley singled to lead off the game and came around to score when
Hannah Johnson reached on an error.
Galka allowed seven hits through the first six innings before the Lindenwood bats caught fire. Johnson and Fozzard reached before Tippit walked to load the bases with nobody out.
Becca Stocker drilled a liner right back to the pitcher, but Huot nailed a triple to right-center field to clear the bases and give the Lady Lions a 4-0 lead. Galka helped herself by singling Huot home for another Lindenwood run.
The freshman shut down the Lopers in order in the seventh inning, matching a career-high nine strikeouts. Galka failed to walk any opposing hitters for just the second time this season in a complete game, and the first time in a complete-game victory. The southpaw won her team-leading sixth game of the season, and lowered her ERA to 3.49.
The split sends Lindenwood to 10-15 on the season and 1-7 in conference action. The Lady Lions will take a day off before hosting Central Oklahoma on Friday afternoon for an MIAA doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. from Lou Brock Sports Complex.
